State of Gold
State of Gold
Podcast Description
Restoring the California Dream One Bold Idea at a TimeCalifornia was once a beacon of prosperity, hope and innovation – symbolized by the Gold Rush, Hollywood and Silicon Valley. Today it’s the least affordable state in the nation and plagued by poverty, homelessness, and sky-high taxes. How did we get here, and how do we turn California around?State of Gold is a media platform and citizens’ movement dedicated to restoring the California dream. Host and longtime real estate and tech executive Jon Slavet combines practical wisdom and insurgent energy, as he sits down with voices from across the spectrum. The show will examine and promote the best ideas from any corner to solve the state’s most pressing issues. State of Gold cuts through the noise to explore what’s gone wrong in the Golden State – and what it’ll take to make things right.www.stateofgold.com
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores various themes such as housing affordability, budget crises, education reform, and government transparency. Episodes delve into topics like the detrimental impacts of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) on housing, the state's financial issues as discussed by Arnold Schwarzenegger's former budget director, and the issues of government oversight highlighted by a young assemblyman. The show's focus is on presenting actionable ideas to restore the California dream.
Restoring the California Dream One Bold Idea at a Time
California was once a beacon of prosperity, hope and innovation – symbolized by the Gold Rush, Hollywood and Silicon Valley. Today it’s the least affordable state in the nation and plagued by poverty, homelessness, and sky-high taxes. How did we get here, and how do we turn California around?
State of Gold is a media platform and citizens’ movement dedicated to restoring the California dream. Host and longtime real estate and tech executive Jon Slavet combines practical wisdom and insurgent energy, as he sits down with voices from across the spectrum.
The show will examine and promote the best ideas from any corner to solve the state’s most pressing issues. State of Gold cuts through the noise to explore what’s gone wrong in the Golden State – and what it’ll take to make things right.
www.stateofgold.com
Guest:
David Crane – Founder, Govern for California
Guest Bio
David Crane is a businessman, educator, and former special advisor to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is the founder of Govern For California, an organization focused on strengthening democracy and advocating for fiscal responsibility and education reform. Known for his direct, data-driven approach, Crane has been one of the state's most vocal critics of public pension mismanagement and government overspending.
Show Summary
Is California headed for fiscal collapse? In this raw and unfiltered interview, David Crane—former budget advisor to Arnold Schwarzenegger—pulls back the curtain on the state’s financial dysfunction. From ballooning pension obligations to special interest power plays, Crane lays out the hard truths about where California’s money goes, why public services keep declining, and what it will actually take to fix it.
Recorded at David’s home in San Francisco, this conversation dives into the real reasons behind the state’s education crisis, the corruption behind public sector union politics, and why the next Governor will inherit a financial disaster. If you’ve ever wondered how the state with so much wealth can feel so broken, this episode explains it all.
Chapters
00:00 – Intro: Is California Failing Its Citizens?
01:10 – Meet David Crane & His Role with Governor Schwarzenegger
03:30 – Why Public Services Are Collapsing Despite Record Budget
07:00 – Political Cowardice & the Power of Special Interests
10:45 – The True Cost of Pension Mismanagement
13:25 – Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom & the Political Machine
18:10 – What Kind of Leader California Actually Needs
23:30 – Budget Corruption & Why Firefighters Can’t Get Funded
28:45 – What Makes San Francisco a Surprising Beacon of Hope
32:50 – David’s Vision for a Better-Run State
36:00 – Final Thoughts: Why It’s Up to the People to Demand Change
Connect with David
- X: https://x.com/davidgcrane
- Website: https://www.governforcalifornia.org/david-crane
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Connect with State of Gold
- X: https://x.com/realjonslavet
- Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stateofgold/about
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stateofgoldpodcast/?hl=en
- Website: www.stateofgold.com
Disclaimer
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